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What do Firms Disclose and Why? Enforcing Corporate Governance and Transparency in Central and Eastern Europe

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  • Erik BerglöF

Abstract

While specific corporate-governance rules are often controversial, most observers agree on the need to disclose who owns and controls a firm and what governance arrangements are in place. This paper examines such disclosure in a sample of 370 companies listed on stock exchanges in Central and Eastern Europe. The data show widespread non-disclosure of even the most basic elements of corporate-governance arrangements, despite existing regulation. The level of disclosure varies substantially across firms, and there is a strong country effect in what companies disclose. Overall, what is disclosed depends on the legal framework and practice in a given country, but it does not correlate with firms' financial performance. On the other hand, financial performance is strongly related with how easily available the information is to the public. In particular, information is more available in larger firms, firms with lower leverage, higher market-to-book ratios, and more concentrated ownership. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.

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  • Erik BerglöF, 2005. "What do Firms Disclose and Why? Enforcing Corporate Governance and Transparency in Central and Eastern Europe," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 21(2), pages 178-197, Summer.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:oxford:v:21:y:2005:i:2:p:178-197
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    1. Mine Aksu & Arman Kosedag, 2006. "Transparency and Disclosure Scores and their Determinants in the Istanbul Stock Exchange," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(4), pages 277-296, July.
    2. René M. Stulz, 2009. "Securities Laws, Disclosure, and National Capital Markets in the Age of Financial Globalization," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 349-390, May.
    3. Suman Banerjee & Saul Estrin & Sarmistha Pal, 2022. "Corporate disclosure, compliance and consequences: evidence from Russia," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(17), pages 1770-1802, November.
    4. Mohanty, Sunil & Nandha, Mohan & Bota, Gabor, 2010. "Oil shocks and stock returns: The case of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) oil and gas sectors," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 358-372, December.
    5. René M. Stulz, 2006. "Financial Globalization, Corporate Governance and Eastern Europe," Chapters, in: Klaus Liebscher & Josef Christl & Peter Mooslechner & Doris Ritzberger-Grünwald (ed.), Financial Development, Integration and Stability, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Abdalla Shwairef & Azlan Amran & Mohammad Iranmanesh & Noor Hazlina Ahmad, 2021. "The mediating effect of strategic posture on corporate governance and environmental reporting," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 349-378, February.
    7. Driffield, Nigel & Jones, Chris & Crotty, Jo, 2013. "International business research and risky investments, an analysis of FDI in conflict zones," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 140-155.
    8. Mehmet Ugur & Melsa Ararat, 2006. "Does Macroeconomic Performance Affect Corporate Governance? Evidence from Turkey," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(4), pages 325-348, July.
    9. Tulbure, Narcis & Catarama, Delia, 2009. "Institutional and Socio-Cultural Factors Explaining the Development of Mutual Funds. A Cross-Country Analysis," MPRA Paper 20341, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Varun Bhandari & Ashima Arora, 2016. "Influence of Shareholders’ Activism and Firm-level Variables on the Corporate Governance Quality in India," Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, , vol. 9(2), pages 122-147, December.
    11. Stulze, Rene M., 2008. "Securities Laws, Disclosure, and National Capital Markets in the Age of Financial Globalization," Working Paper Series 2008-13, Ohio State University, Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics.
    12. Gugler, Klaus & Ivanova, Natalia & Zechner, Josef, 2014. "Ownership and control in Central and Eastern Europe," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 145-163.
    13. Joanna Lizińska & Leszek Czapiewski, 2018. "Towards Economic Corporate Sustainability in Reporting: What Does Earnings Management around Equity Offerings Mean for Long-Term Performance?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-23, November.

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